F
i r s t L o o k

After picking up the earlier Achilles version of this kit, I was dying to see
what "the Real McCoy" would look like in Academy's current series of outstanding
US M3 and M4 medium based vehicles. Needless to say, this one lives up to
expectations and more.

What comes out of the box is the "standard" or mid-production version of the M10
3" Gun Motor Carriage with the "wedge" shaped counterweights and T49 three-bar
steel tracks (taken from the M12 kit, as is most of the suspension. However,
unlike the special sprues for the Achilles, this one includes "F" and "G" sprues
for the new turret parts and a totally new hull top missing its engine deck. The
deck is part of the "C" sprue and in the case of this vehicle, if you have a
Tank Workshop M4A2 engine kit with the twin GMC diesels you now have a near
drop-in location for it to go, as the hatches are optional and separate.

Academy cut a special hull top and "E" sprue for this kit, and the rest of the
layout bodes very well for Sherman or just US M4 series tank fans. Some are
plainly marked "Sherman series" so they would appear to have more kits planned
beyond the current Achilles, M10 and M36 vehicles.

As noted previously, parts layout in the kit suggests that the M10 and M36 will
share some sprues, with the M4A3 bits included for the M36. A reasonably
complete front-end interior, including the SCR-508/608 style radio set, is
included with the kit. There are two different transmission covers ("Rounded"
and "Sharp-nose"). They also provide the optional bogie component set which came
with the M12 155mm GMC kit, which provides for either cast or welded ("spoked")
wheels and early or late track skids on the top of the bogies. Note that most
M10s have the "lace" or "cast" type drive wheels and spoked idlers with the
"solid" or welded six-stiffener road wheels; as noted with the M12, Academy
includes the backs for these parts.

As with the Achilles, the rest of the model is very nice with the glaring
exception of the upper rear hull panel, which has "outlines" cast on it for
mounting the tool sets. This is pretty lame considering the rest of the kit, as
the concept went out of style in the early 1960s, and someone at Academy needs
to get their wrist slapped for letting it go out the door on a kit of this
quality. There are a few large knock-out pin marks inside the turret which will
have to go, but overall they are at a minimum and kept out of sight. Unlike the
Achilles, the cardboard tube ammo stowage is correct for the M10.

I still love Sprue "H". This is a really useful set of bits, and includes the
following items: a pair of five link "extenders", similar to those found on the
old MP Models M4A4 hull, so the vinyl tracks can fit on an A4 chassis; six spare
T51 smooth non-reversible shoes, with a choice of either US or UK style stowage
racks; three whip antenna mounts, including one which is angled at 45 degrees;
three jerry cans (one German and two US style), all with separate carrier bases
provided and needing only straps to complete; two late production "dish" type M4
VVSS series wheels; and the neatest bits of all, add-ons in styrene. These
amount to 21 bolt heads, 7 rivet heads, 7 studs, 15 buckles in three different
styles, 10 tie-down brackets, five wing nuts, and a complete alphabet plus two
number sets of 0-9 and casting marks for two foundries. (One unfortunate thing
is after all this Academy doesn't tell you what sort of numbers should go on the
vehicle, or where – they only indicate the mantelet should have a number
attached to it.)

The kit also includes Academy's Sprue "D", a generic Sherman sprue, which
provides nice little bits, a good .50 caliber and .30 caliber machine gun, and
decent pioneer tools. (Hey Academy, offer two of these in a box for $6 and watch
them sell like hotcakes!!!)

Decals are better than the Achilles, but still seem to be missing some bits.
Decals are provided for what the instructions state are a French vehicle in
September 1944, another in January 1945, one US one in August 1944, and one at
Anzio in May 1944. The August 1944 US one is provided without bumper codes, but
would appear to be 702nd or 703rd TD BN based on the codes. No serials are
provided either. The Anzio vehicle only features stars, but there were a number
of units in Italy at that time such as the 894th TD BN. Overall, I wish Academy
would ask someone before they cut the decals and schemes for the models.

I have heard complaints from some modelers that Academy did not "get it right"
with the Achilles and that the turret was too flat and the hatches and other
bits were off. All of the plans I have show the hatches on this hull as a shape
match (I have a set on M10A1 from the Ordnance Museum sets, a sadly missing
resource from a few years back.) The turret also matched with the plans.

What I think the problem may be is that we have all grown up with anemic
suspensions and tracks on Sherman based models, and as a result when the correct
scale items are included we get a wrong sense of proportion. For example, brand
new T48 rubber chevron tracks are quite thick – nearly 6" – and much different
from scrawny attempts at T51 and T54E1 tracks from our old friends the Italeri
and Tamiya kits. Try this: put a ruler over the tracks on a picture of one of
these vehicles and cover the tracks from the top of the teeth on down; the
familiar sleek shape of the M10 now emerges.

Overall, the quality of this kit is even better than the Achilles, and it should
be a lot more popular. (I am going to use the turret from the latter with this
kit to do a two-tone late model from the 894th, which is why I mentioned them
earlier.) Again, this kit is a standard setter, and for a dollar less than the
"new" Tamiya Sherman kits, a much better bargain.